Problem - Based Learning

Background: Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

PBL is a learner-centered educational method.

In PBL learners are progressively given more and more responsibility for their own education and become increasingly independent of the teacher for their own education. PBL produces independent learners who can continue to learn on their own in life and in their chosen careers. The responsibility of the teacher in PBL is to provide the educational materials and guidance that facilitate learning.

PBL is based on real world problems

In PBL learning is based on the messy, complex problems encountered in the real world as a stimulus for learning and for integrating and organizing learned information in ways that will ensure its recall and application to future problems. The problems in PBL are also designed to challenge learners to develop effective problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Problem-Based Learning Assignment

The Problem: In September 2009 you will be entering the teaching profession.

1. You will go through an application and interview process to obtain your first teaching position. In this process you will want to demonstrate to your interviewers that you know your subject, and can teach. You will also want to convey to your interviewers who you are, what your attitudes and belief systems are, which includes how you relate to students (adolescents) and how you will establish a successful learning environment.
2. They (the interviewers) will also evaluate how well you will 'fit' into the specific school or board environment.
- What documents will you need to develop to enhance this process. Information: The Ontario College of Teachers have developed a set of Standards of Practice. This forms the cornerstone of educational practice in Ontario. During the year you will develop a professional portfolio to reflect who you are and how you meet these standards of practice. This document is a dynamic and you will continue to develop it as you develop as an educator.
3. During this year you will be/have been taught, discover, learn about many of the issues and ways that can be used to 'solve problems' such as lesson design, teaching methods, human development, the diversity of students, legal issues etc. This information will give you a bank of knowledge (and a good bag of tricks) to call on and use. However, it is not an automatic process of ..'do this then that will happen'. Teaching cannot be prescriptive, it is a holistic process of taking this information, using some as is but in the most part you need to modify and personalize it. In the practicum you will have the opportunity to apply it.
a. You will need to develop a focused by personal belief about your role as an educator.
b. You will need to engage in Reflective practice. This involves thinking about what you have learned, or what you have done and deciding what it means to you, or how to self evaluate as well. During the year, in many of the disciplines you will be asked to write reflections.
c. You need to focus and integrate all of the disciplines, information etc into a unified whole.

The Assignment Specifics:

You are to work in groups of 4. (or 3 to 5)
- Each group will be given a different teaching situation. i.e. The whole assignment is focused on you applying for a particular type of school e.g. private, inner city, regular high school etc.
- The questions posed are the same for all of the schools.
- It is essential that you work as a group. Even if you each take on a separate aspect of this assignment, you will need to meet to discuss each part that it is focused and that the whole assignment is cohesive. (You will lose marks if it is evident that the assignments is just a compilation of separate parts.)
As a final product each group will produce answers for each of the questions. In some cases the answer may be the same for different schools and in some cases/questions the answers will be different for each of the schools. As an example, the process of gaining information about a school may be very similar irrespective of the 'type of school' yet the letters of application would be very different.